Well I suppose everyone in the congregation has heard about my son's "new" car.  Sandra had said that she wanted to put as much steel around him as possible.  She would have had him in an army surplus tank if it were possible.  The closest thing that we could find was a 1984 Cadillac Eldorado.  And best of all, from my point of view, it was cheap!!!

Like many old cheap cars, it had a little problem passing it's smog test.  The technician told us that it wasn't a big deal; it just needed a "good” tune-up.  I took it to one of the local shops, and found that what they call a tune-up is not what I call a "good" tune-up.  I specified all of the work that I wanted done in addition to the "tune-up", many of these things being simple maintenance and safety issues that Sandra and I wanted to be cleared up before we sent Chris out in the car.  We wanted the car to pass smog, but we also wanted to be certain that the car was reliable.  To make a long story short, we spent quite a bit of money on a "tune-up."  Chris, seeing the bill, said, "It had better pass after spending that kind of money on it!"

Thursday, I took the car for the re-test.  It passed.  I brought the car home, and told Sandra that the car had passed smog.  She asked if it passed with flying colors.  I told her "It passed."  The truth is, it didn't pass by much.  It runs good, it's reliable, and it won't have to pass smog for another two years.  Sandra said after all the work that we had put into it, it should have passed with flying colors. I said that to me it was like Judgment Day.  I won't care how much work I've put into it, as long as I pass.  I don't care if God takes any notice of any of my accomplishments.  I don't care if He values me any higher than any other of the saints.  Whatever I've done is simply "reasonable service."  I don't care about "flying colors."  I just want to pass.

" But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?  And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?  Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.  So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." (Luke 17: 7-10)